The federal government appears to have the authority to prosecute journalists or newspapers for publishing classified information, U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales said on Sunday. The Justice Department is investigating who disclosed the government's secret domestic surveillance program to The New York Times, which broke the story in December."There are some statutes on the book which, if you read the language carefully, would seem to indicate that that is a possibility," Gonzales said told ABC's "This Week," when asked if the government could prosecute journalists for publishing classified information.The domestic spying program allows the National Security Agency to eavesdrop on the international phone calls and e-mails of U.S. citizens without first obtaining a warrant, while pursuing al Qaeda suspects.... http://news.yahoo.com

A gunman opened fire at a church Sunday, killing at least three people before he abducted his wife and one of his children, police said. A manhunt was on for a suspect identified as Anthony Bell, 25, of Baton Rouge, Sgt. Charles Armstrong said. Bell fled the church after abducting his wife and the infant from the building, Armstrong said. The two older children were found safe at their home. Police were called about the shooting around 10 a.m., around the time church services would normally be close to ending. At least two others were injured, authorities said. ...http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2006-05-21-churchshooting_x.htm?csp=34

A Palestinian woman has been killed during an Israeli army incursion at the Balata refugee camp in the West Bank. Witnesses told the Reuters news agency she was shot dead by Israeli soldiers - but Israel said its reports indicated none of its soldiers had opened fire. Palestinian witnesses said the woman, 48, was shot by an Israeli patrol while trying to help her husband find a route home that avoided the troops. Civilians often die in crossfire between Israeli and Palestinian forces. According to the AFP news agency, the woman, named Aisha Abu M'Salaam, died in an exchange of fire between Israeli troops and Palestinian gunmen. ...http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/5001744.stm

The expansions of the settlements were the first in years, the group said. The United States opposes such settlement activity on lands that Israel captured in 1967 and the Palestinians want for a future state. The Israeli army signed last week an order for the expansion of the Beitar Ilit settlement near Jerusalem by 100 acres, said the leader of the Peace Now group, Yariv Oppenheimer. The expansion of the legal boundaries of the settlement will connect it to Israel proper, Oppenheimer said. He said other settlements have been expanded but did not have full details. Israel Radio reported Sunday that, in addition to Beitar Ilit, the settlements of Givat Zeev, Oranit and Maskiot have been expanded by order of the defense ministry, the radio said. The orders were signed by Defense Minister Amir Peretz, the radio said. ...http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=1986409

Bush yesterday called for immigrants to embrace "our common culture" as they assimilate as part of the path to citizenship he wants to give to longtime illegal aliens. "Americans are bound together by our shared ideals, an appreciation of our history, respect for our flag and the ability to speak and write in English," Mr. Bush said in his weekly radio address. As he presses for Congress to send him a broad immigration bill, the president is trying to mute some objections by highlighting immigrants' need to assimilate, and nowhere is that more clear than in his call for them to learn English. Last week the administration backed two largely symbolic amendments in the Senate debate -- both of which passed -- that encourage learning English. White House Press Secretary Tony Snow described the amendments as having set "English as the national language." ...http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/20060520-115405-4071r.htm

The Pentagon is sending extra troops to Iraq amid fears of an offensive by insurgents who want to destabilise the new Iraqi government.A battalion of 650 soldiers from the United States Army's 1st Armoured Division will be moved from Kuwait as a "temporary measure", even as officials draw up plans to reduce force levels in the country to around 100,000.Another Kuwait-based battalion from the same division, deployed in March, will remain, despite earlier assurances that it would leave, bringing total troop strength to 133,000....http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/05/21/wirq121.xml&sSheet=/news/2006/05/21/ixnews.html